<div><div>This book presents a history of the growth and contraction of the British empire in the form of a series of maps, with accompanying explanatory text--providing a reference work on the British empire that is not only informative in terms of the empire's political, social, economic, and cultural history, but also visually striking and accessible. It offers a detailed study of both the chronological phases of expansion, and more focused analysis of the very different areas of colonization. It also assesses the development of the empire as a single entity, looking at the way geographical boundaries shifted following major conflicts and periods of territorial expansion. The accompanying text covers the narrative of events, the intentions of domestic policy-makers, foreign policy, warfare, and international relations. This book also addresses recent developments in the historiography of the discipline, including material on the empire's indigenous peoples and migration while at the same time keeping in mind social and cultural shifts.</div></div>